A Louisiana Army National Guard aviator from Lafourche Parish who deployed to North Africa to support the war in Iraq has died, the Defense Department announced Sunday.

Milton Eric Suggs, 51, of Lockport, died from undisclosed causes Friday in Djibouti. He was at Camp Lemonier, a U.S. military-run installation.

His death was not related to combat, a National Guard spokesman said. The Defense Departments statement said "the incident is under investigation."

Suggs, a chief warrant officer, was a member of the 38th Operational Support Airlift Detachment, which flies C-12 Hurons out of the Guards Army Aviation Support Facility in Hammond. Eight soldiers deployed with the detachment.

The detachment, a unit in the Louisiana Guards 204th Theater Air Operations Command, left Hammond in October for six months, to provide transportation for military and other officials.

Paul Purpura can be reached at ppurpura@timespicayune.com or 594.826.3791.